Category Archives: Five Things Friday

Five Things Friday: Things to do With Portland Visitors

Every time we have people come to visit us in Portland, I am reminded of what a great city this is and all the wonderful things it has to offer. Here are five things that we love to do with visitors – and we have a LOT of visitors. Most are obvious (but the best things are), all are family-friendly and most are available year-round, despite the weather.

1. Oregon Zoo


We have paid for a membership to Oregon Zoo for a few years now and it’s one of the best investments we make each year. For the best Summer zoo experience, I recommend going mid-week and at 8am as soon as it opens. There’s nothing quite like walking around an almost-empty zoo and watching them get everything ready for the day. You may even catch a diver cleaning the inside of a sea lion tank.

2. The Oregon Coast Highway 101 Drive


You can’t beat the drive from Cannon Beach to Tillamook (or vice versa). The coastline is amazing and there’s plenty of lookouts to take a break and just breathe in the crisp coastal air. Personally, I love that the coastal rocks remind me of the Great Ocean Road in Victoria and that we share the Pacific Ocean with my other two homes – Australia and Japan.

3. Washington Park


A little something for everyone – Japanese Gardens, Rose Garden, Playground and acres of green space and each season of the year offers something new to look appreciate.

4. Portland Farmers’ Market


Thanks to a Farmers’ Market boom over the last few years, they are dozens of markets to choose from all across the city. When we’re feeling adventurous (and ready to face the crowds) we venture to the one that started it all on the North Park blocks in downtown Portland.

5. Downtown Portland Icons


OK, I’m cheating a little with this one but I couldn’t narrow it down to just one downtown Portland location. My favourite places for a day in the city:

  • Pioneer Courthouse Square – for people watching and, apparently, the occasional techno dance party (as seen last weekend)
  • Powell’s City of Books – you can literally get lost in there. An hour or so in the children’s book section is a great way to spend a rainy Portland day.
  • Waterfront park – a hive of activity in the Summer, a wonderful place to watch the Sakura in Spring and a great walking and biking trail year-round.
  • Finnegan’s toys – If you have kids and want to empty your wallet.
Bonus Summer Activities
  • Star Wars lego display in the windows of Sunlan (strangely interesting little lightbulb shop) on N Mississippi Ave.
  • Running through fountains – there are a number around the city. I like Jamison Square (when it’s not too crowded) or even one of the small ones that can be found at many local parks.
  • Portland Sunday Parkways – streets close down to cars around the city and open for bikes. A great day!

I know I’ve missed some key locations (Hood River, waterfalls, Sauvie Island just to name a few) and, honestly, I’m looking for suggestions while we have visitors over the next few months. Please leave yours in the comments.

 

Five Things Friday: Inspirational Photo Books (Plus Three on My Wishlist)

I have an obsession with photography books – instructional, inspirational, historical, educational – you name it and I have at least one (or three) taking up space on on my book shelf. One of my favorite activities is to sit outside with a glass of wine and flick through pages and pages of other people’s photographs. Heaven!

So today I share my top 5 photography books, chosen for their ability to make me want to go out and start taking better photos immediately – plus three more that I currently have sitting in my Amazon shopping cart.

Note: While I have a TON of educational books, they are not included on this list. That’s a whole other post.

1. The Photo Book, edited by Phaidon Press

This books is like an encyclopedia of photography, featuring 500 photographers, each with one photograph and a short blurb about their background. This book is so big that I never fail to find something new every time I pick it up. I recommend the hardcover, full size version.

2. The Contact Sheet, by Steve Christ

Sometimes the most fascinating photographs are the ones that didn’t make the cut.  This book takes a look at some of Western culture’s most iconic photos and shows them in their original photo sequence. It’s fascinating to see the photos that nearly made the cut and those that were not even close. The best things is that you will not always agree with the photographer’s choice which highlights the subjective nature of art.

3. The Great LIFE Photographers, by Editors of Life

Anyone who reads this blog knows how much I love a photograph that tells a bigger story. I also have a passion for history (Little known fact: I have a teaching degree, majoring in History and Psychology. Not that I’ve ever really used it…) LIFE magazine employed some of the most talented photographers in the world to capture some of the most amazing stories of the 20th century and shares a profile of each and every one of those photographers in this book. I bought it on a whim at Costco and have read it cover to cover at least twice (although, in fairness, more pictures than words). Fascinating read and a visually stunning representation of 20th century history.

4. The Photo Album, By Frankie Magazine

I adore Frankie magazine. My sister-in-law introduced me to it in Australia but, sadly, shipping costs make it a little too expensive to justify a subscription. One of the best things about the magazine is their wonderful photography which is often a little vintage and a little quirky. This book features photos submitted by amateur and professional photographers who share the Frankie aesthetic. I love the simple, clean design of the book and the way the images are often unexpected and unusual.

5. National Geographic Image Collection

Pure eye candy – amazing images from from the collection separated into the categories of Exploration, Wildlife, People & Culture and Science & Climate Change. You’ll recognize some of the photos while others are being shared for the first time in this book. I dare you not to be inspired the moment you open it.

And Three More…

Although my desire for inspiration is endless, my budget is not. These books have been sitting in my Amazon shopping cart for some time and are just waiting for me to build up enough rewards points on my corporate credit card so I bring them home where they belong.

  1. Annie Liebowitz At Work – A career I envy.
  2. Vivian Maier: Street Photographer – not yet released but available for pre-order. You can preview some of the images that may be included in the book dedicated to this unsung street photographer here.
  3. The Polaroid Book: Selections from the Polaroid Collections of Photography (Taschen’s 25th Anniversary Special Editions) – I’m sure we’ll have a version of this for iphone photography in 20 years.

Please feel free to share your own favorites in the comments and help me load up my wish list. 

Five Things Friday: Inspired by Wes Anderson Cocktail Parties, French Street Artists and More…

This weeks Five Things Friday is a wonderfully random adventure.

1. If I lived in Sydney I would do everything I could to attend this Wes Anderson themed Cocktail Party.

From the Frankie Magazine Website:
“There will be Steve Zissou inspired burlesque, Wes-themed DJing, goodie bags for the first 50 through the doors, and of course, cocktails! The best dressed will also win a monogrammed bams & ted suitcase, a la Darjeeling Limited.”

Since I am about a million miles away from Sydney, I think I’ll have to console myself this weekend by watching Rushmore for the 37th time with a Royal Tennenbaums chaser.

2. Got a spare 25 minutes? Spend it watching this TED talk by JR, a French Street Artist who pastes massive photos human faces on public “canvases”. Don’t have 25 minutes? Then watch it in shifts. You won’t be sorry.

3. If I were even a little bit crafty, I would make this frame tent for my boys…

4. This blog post reminds me of why I miss traveling to work on public transport: Lessons We’re Learning Riding Mass Transit. (via Zen Habits blog)

5. Of course I could cut down on my commute dramatically if had one of these in my back yard. (Via Poppytalk Blog)

Plans for this weekend include Karaoke, a fun bike ride and a quite a bit of painting in our back room. I hear the sun may even come out for us in Portland.

Happy weekend.

5 Things Friday: Children’s Books Worth Reading More Than Once (because you always read them more than once)

I became accustomed to reading the same books over and over again with child number one. But then along came child number two and those books that I grew bored with the first time around became just plain painful when reading them for the 80th time. So it comes as quite a treat when, every now and then, a childrens’ book comes along that just begs to be read over and over. And when my children and I find delight in that very same book, it serves as a magical break from those annoying books adapted from TV shows, or WAY too much Dr. Seuss (as much as I love him, his books are LONG and very repetitive).

To honor those special books that I wish my children would choose more often, I present my top 5 – although I could have easily expanded the list to 10 or 20, I’ll save that for future posts. Here’s my personal criteria for a good childrens’ book:

  • Good story – one that is original and clever and will not get old the 3rd (or 5th or 20th) time around.
  • Great illustrations that look like pieces of art – critical because I am Taurus and apparently we are attracted to pretty things.
  • A lesson or moral of some sort – Not absolutely critical, but it nice when the story carries the conversation with my children beyond just the book.
  • Not too long – this criteria alone cancels out Dr. Seuss.

The Top 5

1. The Way Back Home by Oliver Jeffers. 

I bought this book in Australia a few years ago and it quickly moved Oliver Jeffers to number 1 on my all time list of favorite children’s authors. While all of his books are wonderful and quirky, this one about a boy and a martian who help each other out when they become stranded on the moon is just wonderful. Bonus points for the Aussie/English version that we own because it uses words like Petrol and spanner which are translated in the American version.

2. Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems

I am so thankful that Mo Williams decided to release a couple of follow ups to this book because our copy of the original is literally falling apart at the seams. The story of a lost toy appeals to parents as well as toddlers and I love how he mixes illustration with black and white photos of New York. Favorite line of the book: Trixie was so upset “she went boneless.”

3. Zen Ties by Jon J. Muth

Almost every family we know has a copy of Zen Shorts, the first in this beautiful series of three books about a giant Panda called Stillwater. Zen Ties, the second in the series, is my favorite thanks to the appearance of Stillwater’s cousin who speaks only in Haiku. I love the use of Buddhist parables to teach a lesson and the slow, calm  pace of the book. Perfect just before bedtime.

4. I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato, Lauren Child

Charlie and Lola has been a favorite in our house for a long time but this book is a new addition. Charlie is the older brother who is always dealing with his “small and very funny” sister, Lola in wonderfully inventive ways. In this book, Lola is a very picky eater so Charlie tries to trick her into eating things by pretending they are something else (mashed potato is really cloud fluff). Fun books to read (especially when I put on my English accent) and this one earns bonus points for convincing Samuel to eat edamame (green drops anyone?). It’s also worth checking out the adorable TV series that’s available on Netflix, but make sure you buy the books that Lauren Child wrote herself, not the ones adapted from the series.

5. The Curious Garden by Peter Brown

I bought this book as a present from the Easter Bunny because of it’s Spring theme. The story is lovely but it’s the illustrations that really drew me in. Each time we read it together it seems we discover something new in the highly detailed and beautifully colored pictures. I think we’re definitely going to add a few more of Peter Brown’s books to our wishlist.

So there you have it – a few of my favorites. Please share your own in the comments and help me build our library. I’m on a quest to phase out the Thomas the Tank Engine book that plays music and every new addition gets me closer to my goal.

5 Things Friday: Street Photography

Welcome to my new Friday blog feature – a collection of things that inspire me each week. Some weeks will be themed, while I anticipate others to be a hodge podge of random stuff from around the web.

For my first 5 things Friday blog post I decided to post a few sources of inspiration under the topic of Street photography.I am so incredibly inspired by photographers who capture the world around them. I love the questions that street photography can evoke and that one simple image can tell an incredible story. Here are a few sites/blogs that I visit regularly for a little inspiration.

1. Vivian Maier
I’ve mentioned Vivian Maier on this blog before but she deserves an encore. Amazing historical collection of photos and a wonderful story about how they were discovered.

2. Shoot Tokyo
I came across this blog in my search for on-the-ground experiences following the Earthquake and Tsunami in Japan. Now it acts as a daily visit to one of my favorite places in the world.

3. The Frame from The Sacramento Bee
A daily download of photos from around the world – some posts highlight a specific topic while others share a series of photos taken on the same day from around the world. Bonus points for allowing their full feed to display in my RSS reader.

4. Urban Weeds
Love this ode to real-life style on the streets of Portland. Although I am far from a fashionista, I find people’s individual styles fascinating and love the pairing of close up headshots with the full body photos on this blog. (Bonus points for the fact that I can identify most of the locations). I am really looking forward to seeing more in the uniforms series – example of hipster letter carrier below.

5. Markus Hartel street photography blog
A new discovery for me. I just love the way he describes street photography on his About Me page “What is street photography? A reflection of every day life – real, unaltered impressions of public places, places that everybody visits every day, the street where you live, the parking lot of your favorite grocery store, the subway. Street photographers document the truth – take candid pictures of things that you don’t notice in your daily grind. Street photography involves attention to detail. The photographer pays attention to scenes, moments that you only recognize subconsciously. The camera is an unobtrusive extension of the eye in any given situation. Oftentimes, street photographers take pictures they feel; the photographer happens to be there and captures the mood in a fraction of a second. He freezes a moment that you will forget in the same amount of time…”

So, there you have it. Just a few of the thousands of street photography blogs out there, but a few that inspire me. I’m always looking for new inspiration so feel free to share your own favorite street photography blogs in the comments.